Recapping the Marlins’ 12th consecutive one-run win in the rubber match in Phoenix.
Looking to swipe another series win from the Diamondbacks and head back home at .500, the Marlins sent Edward Cabrera to the mound for the rubber match in Phoenix. It was a back-and-forth affair, but with the help of some timely hitting and lights-out pitching late, they earned themselves a happy flight home. Let’s break it down.
The offense was non-existent for either side through the first three innings, with the only hit being a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. one-out double in the bottom of the second. That all changed in the fourth inning as Jorge Soler singled, and Luis Arraez walked to set up Jesús Sánchez with one out. He sent a 2-2 middle-down fastball into the camera well in dead center for a three-run home run. 110.6 MPH, 25 DEG, 441 FT. 3-0, Marlins.
Unfortunately, Edward quickly ran into serious trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning. He walked the first two hitters, then induced a popout for the first out. Two more walks followed by a balk brought two runs home for the D-backs, and a game-tying RBI single by Pavin Smith would end the day for Edward. Steven Okert came on in relief and allowed the go-ahead run to score on a groundout before ending the inning on another groundout. 4-3 Diamondbacks after 4.
Edward’s Final Line: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 BK, 62/35 P/S.
After the game, Skip said that he felt Eddy got too comfortable after the home run and got away from his game plan. Edward told us that he definitely lost his velocity in that inning.
Peyton Burdick led off the top of the fifth with an opposite-field double, went to third on a sac bunt by Jacob Stallings, and scored on a single by Garrett Hampson to tie the game at 4-4.
Okert remained out there to begin the fifth and gave way to Bryan Hoeing after a strikeout, a walk, and a groundout. Hoeing was originally scheduled to start on Friday against Cincinnati. We learned around this time that the Marlins would be calling up their number one prospect, Eury Perez, to make his debut on Friday.
The score would remain tied all the way through the eighth inning as both bullpens kept the hitters at bay. Tanner Scott recorded five strikeouts in 1 2⁄3 innings of work, and Huascar Brazoban allowed a two-out hit but stranded him with a popout in the seventh. Dylan Floro did the same with a couple of strikeouts in the eighth.
Jesús Sánchez smacked his fifth opposite-field double of the series but came up grabbing his right hamstring and had to be removed from the game. Skip said that he was removed for precautionary reasons. Pinch-runner Bryan De La Cruz came around to score the go-ahead run as Joey Wendle delivered an oppo double of his own. 5-4, Marlins heading to the bottom of the ninth.
A.J. Puk worked around a two-out single by pinch hitter Nick Ahmed by striking out Ketel Marte to slam the door on the 5-4 victory for the Marlins.
Noah’s Notes and What’s Next
- The Marlins are 12-0 in one-run games, which is a Major League record for longest such streak to begin a season.
- 18-2 when allowing four runs or less. 4-2 against the Desert Snakes. 3-3 on the road trip.
- Luis Arraez’s 12-game hitting streak has been snapped and his batting average has dropped below .400, to .398. Still tops in the majors.
- The Marlins are back at .500 as they head home to celebrate the inaugural edition of Eury Day.
- Yeah, you read that correctly: EURY PEREZ vs. Graham Ashcraft on Friday evening at loanDepot park.
- Thank you to everyone that’s been following along with my coverage of this road trip! I fly home tomorrow afternoon and will return to the ballpark for games two and three of the Nationals series. This has been an absolutely incredible trip, and I can’t wait for what the rest of this season will bring.
- Is it time to go home now?
- From Chase Field, in Downtown Phoenix, AZ.
- ‘Til Tmrw!